Blog – 6 September 2008
I am typing this sat at our dining room table (for the first time since early July) listening to our vinyl LP of Mendelssohn’s violin concerto in our apartment overlooking the very lovely Parc de Montsouris. It is so good to be in somewhere of our own again after many weeks in the campsite which we thought at times might go on forever!
A very kind friend of a very kind friend helped us move our caravan to a winter storage place last Friday. At the last minute the small campsite just south of Paris we had contacted told us that they had no space! They recommended another which was far too expensive and we then found a third on the internet which was much further away! Anyway this friend of a friend drove me there towing the caravan and we eventually found the place which is a farm in the middle of nowhere in Brie country. We were told by the locals that it was probably the farm near to the farm where they sell chickens.
We then stayed two nights with a couple in Creteil just south east of Paris and then four nights with William and Hannah Perrier in their lovely house in Meudon just south of Paris. Meudon is at the top of a very steep hill which is a battle on the bikes.
We eventually signed the contract for the lease of this flat on Thursday afternoon at the estate agents office by the Eiffel Tower. You sign every page and sign many copies! We collected the keys and took the underground to get to the flat in order to meet the official of the local government who had to inspect the condition of the flat (in great detail). We then camped here for two nights sitting on the floor and sleeping on airbeds. We had three consecutive meals of ryevita, brie and strawberry jam. Still it makes a change from McBaguette and fries.
Lots of people helped us move our furniture in this morning and we are now unpacking boxes into our very small flat which is about a quarter of the size of our house in Coventry! You are very welcome to come and stay if you are under 2 feet 3 inches in height. The flat has a wonderful view of the Park and is very bright and warm and quiet. I am sure we’ll love living here.
Language school started on Monday. Intensive and very helpful. I have done battle with the subjunctive all week and am left wounded but still alive! Gill arrived very late one morning and got severely told off by her teacher. I have 12 in my class from all over the world (Colombia, Spain, Italy, Germany, Brazil...).
Gill managed to cycled down the road on the wrong side the other day forgetting that things are different here.
We had a good time praying and worshipping at William and Hannah’s on Thursday night with a few others.